I have a T-Shirt that says, "My Blood Type is Coffee." Coming from a former building trade background, it became a habit. Also when you work outside in Va. in the winter it is kind of like your tool pouch.
Having said that I am a consume coffee before I ride in the morning, amounts vary, time before I ride depends on food intake. I cannot go out and ride without eating in the morning, or I will bonk. It has been that way my whole life.

Coffee has caffein, and caffein is a diuretic, or in other words it dehydrates you. So if you just got to have the stimulant of caffein I would suggest you drink lots of water. I used to start my day with a can of Coke for breakfast ( and finish the day with a can of beer). Now I start my day, whether riding or not,I with two large glasses of water and yogert with fruit. Guess what? I have more energy! And it's a kind of energy that won't let you down like caffein will.

Well, Chris, I don't know that coffee is evil, but it must be used wisely. (And this from a guy who used to drink coffee from sunup untill sundown!) Caffeine (and alcohol) reduce the bodies ability to absorb water by about 15%, and since our muscles need this water to function, we can not afford this reduction! I do still drink coffee in the morning. One cup befor I leave the house, and one cup after I arrive at work. After that, it is all water the rest of the day! And, I think I read somewhere that now they think that caffeine can actually enhance athletic performance, but I still don't think abusing it is any good.

Keep Spinning!!
"It is right that a bike is both Appreciated, and Ridden" David Blessing
"Help others get better...it's not about you, it's about the Team" Carlos Sanchez
"I thought of that while riding my bike" Albert Einstein, on the Theory of Relativity
Bill, rider of classic Paramounts!

Originally posted by *WildHare* How many of you folks out there drink coffee before you hit the trails on your morning rides? And how long do you wait before hitting the trail?

How about breakfast? Large or small?

Always coffee...

Before a century this weekend, I had a bowl of spoon-sized shredded wheat with blueberries and milk, two hardboiled eggs, an English muffin and cheese. I wouldn't normally have the extra English muffin.

But, hell, I'm mostly a roadie, so what do I know?

when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.

Originally posted by Hunter I cannot go out and ride without eating in the morning, or I will bonk. It has been that way my whole life.

That's perfectly normal. Most people's fasting blood glucose level is around 6 mmol/l or less. With reduced glycogen in your liver [from the sleeping and from the surge of the dawn effect], that will normally go down to about 4.5 mmol/l with no physical activity within an hour. Increased physical activity without replenishing the blood glucose equals reduced blood glucose... and a bonk happens below 4 mmol/l, so there's not a lot of margin.

when walking, just walk. when sitting, just sit. when riding, just ride. above all, don't wobble.

If I am going on a 50 mile plus ride I have a blender drink of skim milk ,protein powder, banana, yougurt and if its really hot out I add creatine to the drink mix. I know about creatine and use very little. On a long ride I also carry a 4 oz squeeze bottle filled with Karo surup with a doze of powdered sports drink(mix this the night before so powdered drink has a chance to mix) and somtimes I add a spoonful of creatin to this. I have used honey but prefer the karo with this mix.
Hammer till ya puke....Dudley

I drink Yerba Mate tea, popular in South America,
which supposedly has a cousin of caffeine called mateine that is a) less addictive b) less of a diuretic and c) less disruptive to sleep. But I have also seen research suggesting it contains plain old caffeine. In any event, it seems less powerful than coffee.

I am a coffee addict. I admit it. In the morning, EVERY morning I have about 1/2 a pot of coffee. (This is all the coffee I drink all day, which is a considerable decrease from when I used to drink it all night at work, too.)

I'll have toast with PB and a banana for breakfast. I usually have to wait about 45 min before I can do any exercise after that.

When I was commuting to work, in the morning before setting out, I'd have a small cup of coffee. Have to wake up right? While drinking that I usually had two eggos with maple syrup and butter. HMMM GOOD. This would sustain me on my 14 mile commute.

During one RAGBRAI we stopped for breakfast in one of the small towns. I had a "very small" (I swear ) cup of coffee and that is all, then water. About a half hour after we left, I had to stop and use a corn field. Got going again and had to stop again in less than 10 minutes. I stopped at least 5 times in 5 miles!! Seen a lot of corn fields on that particularly short stretch of road. Coffee is a diuretic, I represented the fact that day!

Moderation in all things, I say. I enjoy my morning java, but I don't OD on it, and I eat a balanced and healthy breakfat most days. Then again, I also enjoy a challenging bike ride, but not to the point where I feel the need to monitor the chemical make-up and mmol/l(?) intake of my breakfast. Experience is your body's best guide on this issue.

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all.

I've been having two slices of wholemeal toast, one with peanut butter and one with just butter and a glass of orange juice with at least 30 minutes to digest before my 14 mile commute. I'm trying to balance having enough energy to get up the hills with losing some of the spare tire I'm carrying (it's the wrong size for the rims ).

Richard

Currently riding an MTB with a split personality - commuting, touring, riding for the sake of riding, on or off road :)

Originally posted by latakiahaze I'm trying to balance having enough energy to get up the hills with losing some of the spare tire I'm carrying (it's the wrong size for the rims ).

Richard

That's how I lost weight. I started out thinking, "I'd better start watching my diet. I want to make sure I'm eating properly so I'll have strength for riding." So I started writing down everthing I ate, listing calories, fat grams, protein grams, etc. while getting enough vegetables. I started with 2000 cal/day and added calories for each mile I cycled. Eventually I was eating 3000 calories a day.

I watched my weight drop.

Now, I try to keep my weight where it is. My theory is, learn all you can about exercise and nutrition, then take it slow and steady. Building your body is the best long term strategy, and that means eating properly, with enough to fuel the machine.

Also, the body needs to rebuild after a hard workout.

(Oh: I drink coffee. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I'll give it up someday. But right now, I seem to do all right. Balance, someone said.)

Small breakfast 3 hours before a race. Med breakfast 1-2 hours before hard training ride. Huge breakfast for LSD training( 4-6 hrs)
At least two espresso shots or a cup o' joe before a race. Up to four shots before a 3-6 hr ride.

Brekkie lately is hot muti grain cereal with dried fruit, dash of honey and non fat milk. 40 gram protein/20 carb shake with a dash of OJ. 12-20 ounces of water. Maybe a whole wheat waffle, potato lattke, toast or piece of fruit. A bit carby, but it works for me.

I have to have coffee to move in the morning, especially in the winter. I try to limit myself to 1 big mug most mornings. I usually eat a very light breakfast, toast or English Muffin. I do all my eating and drinking before I start to get ready so that I have 20 to 30 minutes before I start to ride. That way I don't get an upset stomach.

love coffee! gives me a nice jolt in the morning. hovever i noticed that my long rides suffer, probably because coffee is a diuretic. but on rides an hour or less i'm ok, have a nice big mug right before i ride.

I remember reading an article in my running days that stated that drinking coffee before exercise will allow cells to release some of the fat that they have stored into the bloodstream. Then when you exercise, you burn this fat, which helps you to loose weight.